Isaiah Austin is a young man who played college basketball at Baylor University and had dreams of being drafted by the NBA. It was discovered through a physical exam this week that he has Marfan's syndrome and will no longer be allowed to compete in sports. Having your lifelong dream taken away from you before you had a chance to see it fulfilled would be devastating to anyone. While his situation can't be changed, NBA commissioner Adam Silver decided to do what he could in a tough situation. Commissioner Silver invited Isaiah's family to attend the NBA draft and in the middle of the first round chose to honor him by using an honorary league pick to draft him. This was a chance for Isaiah to have his name called out, to have the crowd cheer for him, and to be treated like a draft pick on stage.
Adam Silver and the NBA could have let this moment pass and no one would have thought any differently. Instead, they chose to act with tremendous class and provide the best experience possible under the circumstances. Leaders who are positive role models not only care deeply for others, but think creatively about ways to make the best of situations while doing it with integrity and class.
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